Stay?
by LouiseX
Summary: What happens when you run out of bad guys to fight? Wheeler and Linka have to start thinking about their futures and how well they will fit in with Gaia's plans.
1. Chapter 1

**Stay?**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Captain Planet or any of its characters and I'm not making any money from these fics.

**Summary: **What happens when you run out of bad guys to fight? Wheeler and Linka have to start thinking about their futures and how well they will fit in with Gaia's plans.

**A/N:** I've said before that I don't do prompts and challenges and I don't, but sometimes someone will say something that sparks off an idea and it has to be written… usually Becks7 since I talk to her more often than not, and this story is no exception, thanks for the inspiration Becks!

You could read this as a brief oneshot or hang on for the other two chapters. I'm often accused (by Becks) of choosing too high a subject matter rating for the content, but I like to make sure that it's appropriate so I'd rather it was higher than strictly necessary. By the time I'd finished writing it though I think this one had definitely strayed into the lower M boundaries so I will give you fair warning that this will be going up to M after this chapter, (nothing violent or disturbing,) but you can decide for yourselves.

Oh and in case anyone is wondering, I am still writing my other stories, they're just taking their time.

* * *

**Chapter One**

"The centre prepared by your countries on the east coast of America is very comprehensive, you will have an amazing amount of resources at your disposal." The Earth Spirit informed her Planeteers.

Kwame frowned. "Recycled resources I hope?"

Gaia laughed. "Of course. But I was referring to people, and the ability to get the right messages out at the right time, as well as the authority to make necessary changes for the sake of the planet… you won't be able to do everything of course, a lot of things will still need to go through the local governments, but you will be in a position to address the countries leaders and hopefully begin to make some real changes."

It was evident that she was excited about the prospect, and at least three of the others shared her enthusiasm, the other two were unusually quiet.

Linka at least was smiling but it didn't reach her eyes and she kept throwing surreptitious glances at the fire planeteer. The cause of her apparent unease was that he hadn't yet made any smartarse comments, in fact he was frowning, which was not at all typical of the carefree young man.

"I've asked Trystan, your liaison, to send you electronic copies of your initial schedules, you'll need to familiarize yourselves with them but I can show you here for now." The spirit waved her hand and a calendar of appointments, meetings, deadlines and presentations appeared on the planet vision, the planeteers names and the locations they were expected to be in, clearly displayed beside them.

The Russian's eyes opened a little wider. "Gaia… so much is already organised? I… I thought we would be making our own decisions about what we needed to do?"

"Eventually." Gaia nodded, "But we have to start somewhere. Trystan is very efficient, I'm sure you'll find him an excellent assistant."

Linka could almost see Wheeler's hackles rise and she knew it was jealousy, even though none of them had yet met the young man that was to help them get started in their new home, she could tell that his mind was working overtime… it still didn't prepare her for what he was about to say.

"No." All eyes turned to the red head and he shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry Gaia, but I can't do this. I get that we put all the eco-villains away and that our job is now going to be clean up and educating but… look I can do the clean up part but all this…" He gestured vaguely at the planet vision. "That's not me."

"I understand your concerns Wheeler but it's what must be done." Linka wished she could stop her, knowing instinctively that it was the wrong line to take with him, but things seemed to have slowed down and she couldn't get her words out before Gaia continued. "You'll be fine once you're there, and Trystan will help you."

Anger flashed in the fire planeteer's eyes like small flames, "**We don't need **_**Trystan**_**, we're a team, we need to work together and not be sent off to different parts of the world where we'll never see each other again!**"

"Don't be ridiculous Wheeler," the spirit was becoming exasperated with him and the wind planeteer's stomach began to turn over as she saw the situation heading for a train wreck. "If you'd looked at the schedule you would have seen that that's not the case at all. Aside from a few visits, you'll be doing most of the work at the centre itself. You're blowing this out of all proportion."

_Gaia is partly right, but that schedule does mean that we will not be seeing much of each other, she does not understand…_ Linka thought sadly, trying not to think the thought that was screaming to be heard in the back of her mind. _'He and I will not be together for over a year!'_

Wheeler was pointedly looking at no one but Gaia, but he had paused long enough for them to step in before answering her, and as no one offered an opinion either way, his anger just seemed to grow. "**I HAVE LOOKED AT IT! I'm not a paper pusher Gaia! If that's what you want, get yourself another Planeteer! **_**Trystan**_** will probably jump at the chance! You know what… I'm outta here!**"

The ancient spirit shook her head as he stormed out of the crystal chamber. "I was afraid he wouldn't like the change in your duties but I admit I underestimated his reaction."

"You are not going to let him leave us, are you?" Ma-Ti was no longer a child but his power made him vulnerable to the other's emotions and he was visibly shaking.

Gaia shook her head sadly as Gi put a comforting arm around the young man's shoulders. "I can't make him stay Ma-Ti. I will try to convince him of course but if he won't change his mind all I can do is ask him to keep his ring so that we can call Captain Planet if he's needed."

Linka swallowed a lump in her throat and forced herself to speak. "You cannot replace him Gaia." There was something final about the way she said it, it wasn't an order, more a statement of fact, Wheeler was not replaceable. "Let me talk to him… perhaps I can find a compromise? Please?"

There was more comprehension in Gaia's eyes than the lovely Russian found comfortable and her words made Linka wonder what exactly she was talking about. "Do what you need to. I'll support whatever you decide between you."

With a faint blush to her cheeks and avoiding the smiling gazes of the others, Linka thanked her and quickly followed their friend.

* * *

Wheeler was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands when Linka entered but at the sound of his door opening he leapt up and began stuffing the carry-all he'd gotten out, with clothes. "I thought you were into manners, what happened to knocking?"

He didn't look at her.

"I did not want you to tell me to go away." She said quietly.

Wheeler sighed and leant on the top of his chest of drawers. "There's nothing to say Linka, you made that clear back in the Crystal Chamber. I was on my own in there and I guess I can just get used to that again… or maybe I've always been on my own here, it's not like I ever really fit in."

"Wheeler, what are you talking about?" The Russian exclaimed in alarm. "You are as much a part of the Planeteers as the rest of us and you cannot leave!"

The handsome American turned to look at her, shaking his head and sounding more serious than she had ever heard him before. "There was a time when that was true, no one else could use my ring so you needed me, but that's over with. Anyone can do the job Gaia was talking about in there and there's a **lot** of people who could do it better than me."

She shook her head. "That is not true, and I can help you, I…"

"**You won't be there!**" Wheeler struggled to keep his temper in check but she could tell it wasn't her he was angry with. "Don't you get it Babe? I **can't** do it! Did you see that schedule? Lectures about conservation, facts, figures… I don't know any of that shit, I'd just make you all look bad! Better to let someone else do it."

He returned to his packing and Linka tried to ignore the terrible ache in her heart as she struggled to keep from crying. "I **could** be there, we can change the schedule and…"

"What is this Babe?" The look of suspicion hurt almost as much as his words. "Did Gaia send you to negotiate with me? Just what did she tell you to offer me?"

Linka stepped back as if he'd slapped her. "I am not offering you anything! And if that is what you think then… it is good that we will never see each other again!"

She finished on an involuntary sob and turned away so that he would not see the tears that sprang to her eyes as she made for the door.

Wheeler's hand caught her wrist stopping her in her tracks. "I didn't mean that."

Linka couldn't look at him and she definitely wasn't capable of answering him. She had gone there, knowing without really acknowledging it, that she was prepared to go with him if it was the only way to keep him in her life, but after what he'd said it was all she could do not to rip her arm away and run back to her own room to pack, in order to put even more distance between them.

His voice was thick with emotion as he continued. "I didn't, I swear! I know you better than that, I'm just mad that it's going to end like this."

"You are the one who is ending things." She whispered, still not turning around. "Da, Gaia agreed that I could change the schedule if it would convince you to stay but she was trying to help, not manipulate you, and I would never agree to… to…"

Wheeler grimaced. "I know."

Turning her head just far enough to look at the hand that was still gripping her, "She said we could alter things to suit us better… if we wanted to..."

The American swallowed and he couldn't prevent the small grain of hope from registering in his voice. "We?" She nodded and he released her wrist, but only to gently but firmly, turn her to face him, his hands resting on her shoulders.

Linka's eyes were still shinning with tears. "Stay? For me?"

Wheeler lowered his eyes, hating himself for what he was about to say but feeling too guilty to do otherwise. "I can't make Gaia change everything just because I can't keep up… not even to be with you. I'm selfish but I'm not **that** selfish."

The Russian knew that he was right but that didn't stop her feeling like the world was coming to an end and she cursed herself for all the time she'd lost when they could have been together, but she'd never really thought there would be a time when he wasn't there.

"Then I will go back to Russia and do what Gaia thinks needs to be done there." She wasn't trying to make him feel bad, she was just showing him that she would abide by his decision, and it was also her way of saying goodbye… though she couldn't stop herself adding, "I would not feel right being in America without you."

They stood there not looking at each other, everything decided, knowing that when they parted they wouldn't meet again because neither of them would be able to face it.

"You will need to let me go." She was referring to his hands that were still clasping her shoulders but it had the effect that her earlier words hadn't.

Wheeler pulled his beautiful friend into his arms and buried his face in her neck. "I can't."

Linka sobbed with relief and slid her arms around his waist to hold him tightly against her.

"I don't know what to do." He told her. "I'm never going to be able to do what she wants me to, but I'll go crazy if I can't see you, and that schedule…"

"Is going to change." Linka cut in confidently, making him laugh though it was his own relief showing. "I hated it the moment I saw it and now I am not going to let you out of my sight!"

He pulled away just enough to look into her eyes, "Promise?"

"Fact!" The Wind Planeteer said it so fiercely that it made Wheeler laugh, finally forcing him to relax.

Her answering smile made his breath catch in his throat and he gazed at her in wonder as he finally began to realise the depth of the feelings she hid behind that cool exterior. Taking a chance, the American brought his lips down to rest against Linka's, gently teasing her as he asked, "So how's this 'not letting me out of your sight' going to work?"

"Hmmm," she hummed softly, her senses on overdrive, and answered distractedly. "I do not know… just, hold on and not let go I guess…"

He pressed a brief kiss to her mouth as if testing the water. "And then what?"

"What?" Linka was having a lot of trouble thinking clearly and she took another little kiss before adding, "I do not know what you mean, we will remain together, nyet?"

Wheeler was also struggling to concentrate on anything but the softness of her lips and the way she felt in his arms but he managed to say. "We will remain together, da."

The wind planeteer couldn't have said more if she'd wanted to, since her lips were suddenly locked in a passionate embrace, but she had no desire to escape.

Wheeler slipped his arms under hers and picked her up to lessen the difference in height, while Linka wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips parting in a silent request for him to deepen the kiss. He didn't disappoint her.

After a while they had to stop to catch their breaths but it still felt impossible to let go, in fact they couldn't hold each other any closer without removing clothes. Linka nuzzled her face into his neck and Wheeler continued to press kisses against hers. It wasn't just the present situation of course, they'd been waiting to share their feelings for a long time and the sudden release of emotions was overwhelming.

Eventually Wheeler, his lips still resting against her skin, asked, "What were we saying?"

A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. "We were going to alter Gaia's schedule into something more practical." She pulled away but linked her fingers firmly with his. "We can look at it on my laptop, it is in my room."

"Okay." The American let her lead him to her room and sat down next to her on the bed, thinking as he did so that she could lead him anywhere and he'd follow gladly.

Linka opened her computer and called up the schedule, and Wheeler tucked a comforting arm around her. "This is going to take a while…"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you to all who have read, reviewed and set alerts, I love to know you're there.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

"This isn't working." After trying to rearrange their plan of action for the last two hours without any real success, Wheeler was becoming frustrated.

The wind planeteer made an annoyed sounding noise and got up to put her laptop on her desk, turning to face him while leaning back on the furniture. "Well what do you suggest Wheeler? We give up?"

"No!" He groaned and held his hand out to her, which after a moment, she accepted. Wheeler pulled her back down next to him and wrapped her in a warm embrace. "I hate someone having to compensate for me, it's just… wrong! Babe, what if we can't do it? What if there's no way we can make this work?"

"We will find a way!" Her blue eyes looked deeply into his. "I will not give up… there must be **something** you are good at?"

He laughed and waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "Oh yeah, several 'somethings'."

She shrugged in resignation and answered him completely deadpan. "Fine then, we will find someone to replace you with the Planeteers and you will stay home to be my sex slave."

There was a moment of stunned silence in which Wheeler's brain tried to work out if Linka had actually said 'sex', and then whether it had really been in relation to him, then he grinned broadly. "I like that option, problem solved."

To prove it, he pushed her back onto her bed and followed her down, revelling in her happy giggles. The make out session that followed was only brief though as the American's caressing hands quickly sought out the ticklish areas on her side. Squirming beneath him as she tried to evade his teasing, while at the same time trying - less successfully - to find the sensitive areas on his torso so that she could reciprocate, Linka's musical laughter rang out, enchanting her lover even more.

She had more success at finding places to tickle around his neck and shoulder blades and in the end he had to grasp her hands and hold them above her head to win the fight.

"I can't believe you said that." He told her laughing, kissing her briefly before adding. "I think I'm going to like seeing more of your sense of humour."

Linka smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Who said I was joking?" She bent her knee bringing her thigh back into contact with him as he sat astride her. "You have to start earning your keep sometime Yankee."

Wheeler raised an eyebrow and lowered himself gently down to cover her body with his own. He still figured she was teasing but he saw no reason not to enjoy it for as long as he could, in fact he couldn't describe how good it felt to finally be allowed to touch her.

While his mouth nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin at the base of her neck, his surprisingly gentle hands memorised the contours of her body, beginning to pull her t-shirt free of her shorts with each pass.

Linka too began to explore their new relationship, though more tentatively than her American companion. Her skin was on fire where he touched her and when his hands found their way under her t-shirt she gasped, but she encouraged him by reaching down to pull at the hem of his shirt until he released her long enough to pull it over his head.

It was true that Wheeler ate a lot of junk food but he burnt most of it off on missions and the rest he worked off on the island. His muscles were firm and well defined and it thrilled Linka to at last be able to trace their lines with the tips of her fingers. Wanting to do more, she pushed him onto his back and followed him so that their positions were reversed and she could trail kisses down across his firm muscles.

Wheeler watched in amazement as her long ponytail fell over her shoulder and joined her full lips as they tickled his abs. It was over too quickly however as she soon sat up, leaving a warm hand on his stomach and not minding how intimately they were positioned.

"We do need to find some sort of compromise," Linka said sadly. "You would never really be happy just following me around to endless conferences and I do not really want to leave."

"Would you?" Wheeler sounded surprised as if the thought had not occurred to him. "I mean, I don't want to leave either but I'm not sure there is actually another way, so if it comes to it… would you? Come with me?"

A small smile hovered at the corner of the lovely young girl's lips but her eyes were sad as she nodded. "Of course."

Wheeler covered her hand with his own for a moment, and then pulled her gently down beside him so that she was laying with her head on his shoulder with both his arms around her and one leg over his. "Wow."

"Did you doubt it?"

"It never even occurred to me." He confessed. "I guess I figured I would always have to be the one to give in if I wanted to be with you."

She shook her head though in her present position she did little more than rub her cheek against him.

Slowly letting out a long breath, Wheeler kissed her forehead and tenderly stroked her hair. "Then I guess we'd better fix that schedule huh?"

He could feel the smile stretch across her lips but her words were not entirely hopeful. "I still do not have any ideas. Either we have to work together which cuts down what we can work on, and would probably draw the sort of attention you wanted to avoid, or we work apart… which is not an option."

"Maybe we're going at this all wrong. We're trying to re-arrange the schedule to make it fit with what we want, but do we even want to work on that stuff?" He pulled a face. "All that stuff is _Trystan's_ idea, there might be better things to spend our time on, I don't think we should commit to anything until we get there and start looking at things for ourselves."

"You are going to feel like such an idiot if he is an eighty year old, happily married grandfather with gout." She teased, making him laugh.

"They never are!"

Linka continued as if he hadn't interrupted. "But I agree with you, we should look at everything - and with the others - before we make any real plans, I did try to say that to Gaia."

The American gave her a squeeze, "So maybe she'll listen now." To his dismay she sat up climbed over him to stand beside the bed.

"Da, we should go and talk to her." Linka began tidying herself up. "The others might have some ideas too, they were not happy about you leaving either."

Wheeler sighed and stayed where he was. "Just like that? One minute we can't get enough of each other, the next minute we're back to business?"

She frowned. "I know what you are really getting at, and the fact that you said 'we' proves that you **do** have some diplomacy skills, but I hope you are not expecting me to be impressed."

"I'm not expecting anything." He replied quietly, getting up and retrieving his t-shirt.

Linka's face darkened and she said sarcastically. "Oh da, 'You are not expecting anything'!"

"**Okay, yeah, you're right! I **_**was**_** expecting something!**" his voice rose until he was almost yelling. "**I was expecting to stay here for a bit longer, cuddling with my girlfriend, talking, maybe kissing, you know, like NORMAL people do! Is a little affection too much to ask for?**"

**"I was affectionate!" **She yelled back.

Wheeler laughed but it wasn't a pleasant sound. "**Yeah you were, and then you turned it off again, like a light switch. Were you timing it or something? 'That's your daily allotted amount of love Wheeler, get used to it!'**"

Linka folded her arms across her chest and her voice held a deadly calm. "Do not worry, if you carry on like this you will never have the chance to get used to it."

The fire planeteer swallowed and he too lowered his voice. "I guess I was just dreaming to think this could ever work."

As he turned towards the door a book came sailing past his face causing him to jerk back, followed by a string of Russian that sounded none too friendly. The only word he could pick out was Durak - she'd called him an idiot often enough that it no longer sounded like a foreign word - but he stood there transfixed until she began to wind down, at which point she reverted to English. "… If you walk out on me now, so help me Yankee, I will give up on you. You will never see me again!"

The silence after the tirade was deafening.

"Are you saying you **don't** want me to go?" He ventured.

Linka lapsed back into Russian, though she was muttering to herself rather than yelling.

He took a step towards her and when she didn't erupt again, another, until he was standing in front of her. "Sorry?"

"What for?" She prompted.

Wheeler was a bit perturbed that she was actually testing him but he played along anyway. "For… annoying you."

Linka rolled her eyes. "Do you know why you annoyed me?"

"I'm not a kid for Christ's sake!" He growled, and then took a breath, trying to keep things under control. "Stop trying to make me into something I'm not, okay? I'm no angel but I wasn't making demands, I just can't keep up with the way you blow hot and cold."

He looked away and as uncomfortable as she was beginning to feel, the young Russian knew he had something else to say so she remained quiet. Finally, without looking around, he said, "I know you're here because **you** want to be, but I don't like feeling like you're humouring me, doing only what's necessary to get me to do what you want."

"That is not…" Linka swallowed. "I just wanted Gaia to know what we have decided so that nothing more is done without our say so. I wanted things to be settled between us, I was not blowing cold."

The American's cute lopsided grin began to spread across his face and he slipped his arms around her waist. "No?"

Unable to resist his change in mood, Linka's lips curled up at the edges and she shook her head, leaning in to him. Wheeler's warmth spread from his lips down through her like electricity but she still managed to keep control of herself and when they parted she said. "**Now** can we go and talk to Gaia?"

"Yeah." He sighed but he was no longer annoyed and contented himself with Linka's taking his hand as they returned to the Crystal Chamber.

Wheeler couldn't help but be glad that the others weren't there. He knew that they'd seen enough of his moods to act like nothing happened but he was still uncomfortable, especially since, despite his assurances to Linka about being confident of her motives, he still felt like a child that had been silenced by a new toy.

The spirit of the Earth was understanding, if sceptical, about their plan, only saying that she would do what she could to help before letting them leave to find some lunch.

* * *

Linka was quiet and thoughtful as she made her sandwich and after a short while Wheeler left his own preparations to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and bending to whisper in her ear. "What're ya thinkin' about?"

She smiled but she didn't sound entirely happy. "I was thinking about what you said, about my blowing hot and cold."

Wheeler groaned. "Babe, don't worry about it."

"How can I not?" She turned in his arms to face him. "I do not want an argument every time I do not think before I say or do something."

"Me either!" He laughed. "And I'm much more likely to do that than you are."

Linka shook her head. "It has been a long time since I have had a boyfriend and even then it was nothing like this."

Jealousy surged up through his chest almost choking off his response altogether. As it was he sounded tetchy. "What was it like then?"

"Bozhe'moy Yankee! Do you not ever stop?" She asked, catching his tone. "It was before I met you and I was practically a child! We went to a few of the local dances together, held hands and he kissed me on the cheek… twice, if you really want to know!"

She tried to pull away but Wheeler was immovable, holding her comfortably against him until she gave up and leant into his embrace once more. "I was more excited about having a boyfriend than I was about him… he did not make me feel the way you do, no one could."

Wheeler didn't hesitate, he'd wanted to know the answer for too long, "How do I make you feel?"

Blushing, Linka laughed. "I cannot tell you that."

"Try." He pressed a kiss to her neck, making her shiver. "Please?"

"Well… my heart lifts whenever I see you. If I am angry with you, it makes no difference, I know that everything is ok when we are together, and always feel that there is something not quite right when we are not." She moaned softly as his lips continued to investigate the contours of her throat. "Sometimes I find myself thinking about you when I do not mean to, replaying something you said or did… I do that at night too, when I am alone…"

"Go on." He was awed by her words and didn't want her to stop. He pulled her t-shirt aside to give her a tender love bite on her neck, causing her to whimper and his hand began to make a gentle circular motion on her back.

Linka licked her suddenly dry lips, and her chest began to rise and fall more rapidly. "My skin tingles everywhere you touch me, even when you are just giving me a friendly hug, it… it makes my body feel hot all the way down and sometimes… it aches."

Wheeler grinned, his heart swelling with happiness, but he couldn't resist teasing her a little. "Where?"

"You know where!" She replied, pulling back slightly, her face burning.

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her soft lips, at the same time as using his lower half to pin her against the cabinet his own desire pointing out the answer. "Yeah, I just wanted to hear you to say it."

The beautiful Russian laughed too, embarrassment and indignation melting in the face of his cheek though her face got redder still as she felt his need of her. "Maybe when we have been together longer, for now you will just have to use your imagination."

"Oh, believe me, I am." Wheeler's voice dropped lower than his usual timbre and he whispered directly into her ear, "Do you want to know what I'd do to relieve that ache of yours?"

"Nyet!" Linka pulled away a bit too quickly and her head swam as she tried to calm herself, but then she remembered his words from earlier and she added hastily. "I am not switching you off… it is just too much… I… you stop me from thinking properly."

Wheeler smiled ruefully. "Ditto Babe. Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away."

Her smile made her eyes sparkle. "That is ok… I like it, I just need things to move a little slower."

The American nodded and opened his arms to her, this time restricting himself to a simple cuddle. Linka lay her head on his shoulder and sighed as she returned his embrace.

"And Trystan said we'd have our own personal drivers if we wanted which…" Gi broke off as she entered the room to the familiar sight of Wheeler and Linka hastily breaking apart. She grinned, "Did I interrupt again? Maybe we should get do not disturb signs put all around the new centre."

Wheeler had turned back to his sandwich, hoping to hide the tightness of his trousers, while Linka flushed prettily and shook her head before returning her attention to her own lunch.

Ma-Ti, who had accompanied the water planeteer into the room, chuckled. "I do not think they mind Gi, I get the impression that they will not be interrupted for long."

"Ma-Ti!" The Russian exclaimed, but her while her face flushed again, her eyes were sparkling with contained laughter, whereas her partner did nothing to hide his amusement.

Laughing loudly but still neglecting to turn around, Wheeler agreed. "Right you are, little buddy."

Gi's eyebrows rose and her grin widened at the responses and when Linka brought her lunch to the table the Asian girl sat down beside her and demanded information.

Conscious that Wheeler was listening to every word she said, Linka shrugged and answered formally. "Wheeler and I have decided that while we want to continue to help the Earth in any way we can, it is no longer acceptable for us to take on assignments that will keep us at great distances from each other for any period of time, therefore we will be altering the schedule somewhat when we arrive."

Linka's words acted like a bucket of cold water on her boyfriend and he was at last able to join them at the table. "Geez Babe, you make it sound like a business contract between a couple of aging Vulcans."

The lovely blond looked confused as she turned her head to look at him. "Like what?"

He grinned, draping an arm around the back of her chair, and before she could protest, had covered the distance between their lips and was giving their friends a far better description of their new relationship than mere words could have.

Again the colour in Linka's cheeks was heightened but she shyly returned his tender kiss. When they parted she smiled at him and then ducked her head, looking down at her food rather than meet the eyes of the other two planeteers.

Wheeler chuckled and left his arm where it was, his fingers brushing the top of her arm. He knew it would take time for his lovely friend to get used to showing her feelings in public but it meant a great deal that she was willing to try and he was happier than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Thank you again for reading and reviewing. Here's the last part of this story, I hope it doesn't disappoint.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The day had been taken up with their preparations for the move – and the Planeteers were all surprised at just how much they had accumulated over the years – but the evening saw them relaxing in their common room just as they had a hundred times before, with one difference. Linka leant back against Wheeler's chest, his arms securely about her waist as they reclined on the sofa.

There was something so natural about the way they reacted to each other that even their friends had soon accepted it as perfectly normal, but there was something still bothering Linka and now Wheeler didn't just sense it, he could feel it in her frame. One by one their friends went to bed and he was finally free to ask. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing?" She turned to smile up at him, not really sure what he meant.

"Something's bothering you." Wheeler persisted, "I can tell."

The Russian sighed. "I am still trying to think of ways to make you happy when we are at the new centre, if that is what you mean?"

He couldn't help it, he laughed. "I can think of lots of ways you could make me happy Babe, and not just at the centre."

Linka's eyes lit with amusement but she said sternly, "I meant in regards to our work."

"I know you did." He sighed and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about it, we'll work something out, the main thing is for us to stay together."

"Which we will." She agreed, reaching up to brush some stray strands of hair from his face and blushing slightly as she continued. "We can start tonight if you like…"

Confusion coloured Wheeler's expression, "Start what tonight? Work?"

"Nyet… staying together." Linka lowered her gaze to his chest, not able to meet his eyes.

"Really?" He was sure she must be able to feel the way his heart sped up. "Er…are you sure you're ready for that? I mean, you must know that I want to, but I don't want you to feel like you have to or anything…"

The lovely girl laughed softly and once more raised her eyes to his. "I would not have suggested it if I did not want to… and you will take things slowly da?"

"Of course!" He sounded a little too eager and he knew it but she didn't seem to mind.

"You were right earlier Yankee, I think I do blow hot and cold sometimes." She pressed a finger to his lips to stop his protest. "It is that, the strength of my feelings scare me and I go from being honest to running away and hiding, but the feelings themselves never go away, I just need to learn how to deal with them."

Wheeler smiled, his eyes showing how much her words meant to him. "I'll try and be more patient Babe, I promise. It's just, I've wanted us to be together for so long, I guess I need to know that you want this as badly as I do, er… not the physical stuff, just **us**."

"I **do**." The Russian told him warmly, all reserve gone from her manner and her eyes sparkling with affection. She sat up a little straighter, putting her hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she moved to sit astride him and smiled as he adjusted his arms to hold her in place. "You are not the only one who is going to need reassurance Yankee." She leant down to kiss him briefly. "We need to work on that, to find out what each other needs, to feel secure in the relationship."

The American grinned and gave her a squeeze. "You read a textbook on it?"

Linka blushed and shook her head, recoiling slightly. "Nyet, of course not!"

"I know, Babe." He pulled her back to him and stole a kiss. "I love the way you talk, I just need to be able to tease you occasionally."

"I know." She replied ruefully, "I am getting used to your teasing, I just need to be able to tell when you are doing it."

He laughed easily bringing a pleased smile to her lips, and when he spoke again it was in a quiet and sincere voice that she didn't get to hear much of, but was beginning to learn, always lurked below the surface. "This is so gonna work."

Linka nodded happily and dropped a kiss to his lips, followed by another. This time as she lifted her head up, her eyes locked with his and she stopped, the intensity of the gaze trapping her and pulling her back down into a passionate embrace. The two lovers held each other tightly as they savoured each caress, letting the reality of the situation sink in. There was still a part of them that couldn't believe it was really happening after so long but both were committed to seeing where it led.

After a while the lovely Russian sat up again and said shyly, "We cannot do this here."

"Yeah, that'd be the mother of all interruptions huh?" he grinned, evidently feeling happy about the way things were going.

"Da," Linka replied with equal amusement, infected by his mood. She stood up and held her hands out to him, and though he took them, he didn't put any weight on them as he rose to stand beside her. She hesitated then, but it wasn't anything to do with their plans for the evening. "We need to tidy up in here and turn everything off..."

Wheeler squeezed her hands and when he spoke it was without any sign of irritation. "Planeteers first, couple second, I know."

Returning the pressure on his hands the lovely Russian shook her head. "Not always, not when it matters."

She received a gentle kiss in response. "It won't take us a minute to set things straight if we work together."

Linka's eyes sparkled with mischief. "And it has only taken you, how long, to figure that out?"

"Shut up," He laughed, "Start turning stuff off, I'll get the plates and glasses."

"Ok, but do not bother washing them up, I will do it in the morning."

Wheeler feigned shock. "Did I hear that right?"

"Shut up." She returned smugly. "Or you will be doing it all by yourself, and that goes for **everything**."

"Yes Ma'am!" he gave her a mock salute and hurried away to the kitchen but she could tell he was laughing. In fact, she mused as she began deactivating their appliances, now that they had begun breaking down their barriers it was working better than she had anticipated. _We have more in common than is at first apparent, and it is actually getting easier to talk about things._

Wheeler arrived back just as she was about to turn the main light off, and waited patiently while she did a final check, before taking her hand and leading her towards their sleeping quarters.

It was a lovely moonlit night and despite where they were heading, they felt very comfortable in each other's company, and had no particular desire to hurry.

The American would have continued towards Linka's cabin but she stopped him, tugging slightly on the hand she was holding, in the direction of his. "My place?"

"Da, if that is ok?"

She looked nervous so he nodded quickly and changed direction. "Sure it is, I just thought, that is they say girls always prefer their own things around them."

He put the light on and she stepped inside, waiting for him to close the door behind him. "Why? Did Trish?"

The American raised an eyebrow at the mention of his ex-girlfriend and stepped forward to cup the face of his current girlfriend and bring their lips together. "Babe, I don't think Trish ever cared whose things were around her, but you're not like the girls I used to date, I figured that stuff would be important to you." he shrugged. "I don't actually have a clue why it should matter though."

Linka leant into him, wrapping her arms comfortably around his waist. "Well I want to be surrounded by **you.**"

He dropped his arms around her and pulled her close, and she could see in his eyes how much her statement had pleased him, but instead of responding directly he moved in for another kiss.

Slowly, Wheeler's hands began a gentle exploration of her back and then her sides, gradually easing her t-shirt out of her shorts and then sliding up inside to caress the supple skin beneath. Linka mirrored his actions, not sure enough of herself in this situation to take the lead but perfectly comfortable with what they were doing.

It wasn't until he began to lift off her top that she hesitated, a look of concentration momentarily crossing her features. "Something wrong?"

"Nyet." She smiled and raised her lips as if to kiss him again.

Still he paused, not releasing her top but unsure of whether he should continue. "Seriously Babe, you need to tell me if you're not okay with this…"

She blushed and answered quietly. "I was trying to remember what underwear I have on… I was not exactly planning this when I got dressed this morning, but it is ok."

A heartbeat, and then Wheeler burst out laughing, he pulled her to him and kissed her temple. "Babe, you're adorable." Tugging at the end of her shirt and lifting it so that she had to raise her arms he asked, "What would you have done if it wasn't ok? Go and change?"

The look of approval on his face as he surveyed the white lacy garment he'd just revealed made her blush further but somehow the conversation didn't bother her, though she obscured his view briefly by returning the favour. "Possibly… I try to find a balance between attractive and practical, since we never know when we are going to be called on, but some of it is more practical than others."

"Why? Not that I'm complaining, but why not just go for practical?" Wheeler stopped her from answering immediately and for a few moments they were lost in their embrace. "I know it'd be different when you get dressed up, but everyday, when you're not dressed for the beach and you're not expecting anyone to see it, why bother?"

Her fingers traced the contours of his well-formed chest and she smiled as his lips blazed a hot trail over her collarbone. "Do you not ever wear something that makes you feel attractive, just because?"

Wheeler laughed. "I guess it's a girl thing."

"I guess so." She chuckled and decided to tease him a little. "I would not have gone to change my underwear and come back in my uniform though, I have some, erm… appropriate, nightwear."

"Really?" He sounded surprised as well as interested and he tried to cover it by pressing a kiss to her throat and slipping the straps of her bra from her shoulders.

"Mmmm." She was half amused and half responding to his actions. "You did not think I would?"

His fingers caught the catch of her bra and gently removed it, letting it fall to the floor while his hands slid back up her side to massage what he'd released. "You're always preaching economy and necessity, so yeah, I guess I never pictured you buying anything frivolous and it's certainly not the sort of thing you wear normally."

Again Linka chuckled. "It is certainly not the sort of thing I would wear when we are camping out somewhere or watching a late night movie with the others, nyet."

Her yankee's ministrations were sending hundreds of electrical impulses rampaging through her body and Linka whimpered softly as his tongue replaced his thumb in stimulating the tender mounds, but instead of increasing her shyness, it made her bold and she began working on his belt buckle and the clasp of the jeans below.

Wheeler stood straighter to make it easier for her to loosen his garments and while his lips sought out hers, his fingers moved to the waistband of her shorts. "But maybe something you'll be wearing when we're living together at the centre?"

"Da… I will tell you a secret Yankee." His jeans fell to the floor and she wrapped her arms around his neck as her shorts joined them. Their eyes met and they were both smiling as he pulled her close, "When I bought those things, the not so practical underwear and the night things, I was thinking about you… I did not always admit it to myself, but you were always there in the back of my mind. I might not have planned for you to see me in it, but the thought was there that you might."

He looked a little awed by her words but a passion was burning in his eyes that could not be long ignored. "Then you should know, that it's always you that I dream about, even my day dreams have revolved around you since the day we met, no one else, just you."

Linka looked amused. "Even when you met Bambi Blight?"

"She was playing **you**." He pointed out.

"I have seen you watching her other movies," She teased, "And not just **her** movies either, there are many women whose assets you admire I think."

Wheeler shook his head, glad that she wasn't annoyed but still needing to set her straight. "I might enjoy what I see, that's different, that's natural, and don't think I haven't noticed you checking out the odd Hollywood actor. When I imagine myself in those roles though, it's not those actresses I'm with, it's you."

His conviction made her smile, she wasn't entirely sure that she believed it but it was evident that he did, and it warmed her heart. She pulled him down kiss her, not wanting to talk anymore.

The American pushed the last of her coverings over her hips and steadied her as she stepped out of them, then he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently and quickly ridding himself of a pair of heart covered boxers before joining her.

Linka tried to steady her breathing as he climbed onto the bed, straddling her but remaining upright so that he could study her naked body, his own freely displayed to her wondering eyes. Her cheeks flamed red under the intensity of his gaze, not to mention the passion that was making itself so evident in his male form.

"You're breathtaking." He told her, his voice barely above a whisper.

"So are you… Yankee please, I am beginning to feel very uncomfortable."

His eyes darted to her face and he immediately realised that it was her inexperience that was making her nervous and not a sudden change of heart. He lowered himself to cover her, forcing her to deal with even more new sensations but relieving her of her primary source of embarrassment. "Sorry Babe, I forgot you're not used to looking at naked men."

Linka brushed the soft red hair from his eyes. "You would hate it if I was."

"I'd be jealous as hell!" He kissed her. "I want you to myself, but I wouldn't care about what you did before you met me if that's what you mean… and I hope you feel that way too 'cos there's nothing I can do about who I was before the Planeteers."

"I love you." She said simply, a smile hovering on her lips, all trace of nervousness gone.

This time when they kissed their desire for each other rose quickly to the surface and they let it consume them.

* * *

"Yankee! Wake up, I have it!"

The American groaned and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the early morning light, his other arm was still tucked neatly around his girlfriend. "It's too early, go back to sleep." He pulled her back against him, wrapping both arms around her and further trapping her legs with one of his.

Linka smiled against his chest, cuddling back into him and pressing a kiss to the firm yet soft warm skin. "Good morning."

A grin crept over his lips. "I could get used to waking up like this, with you in my arms."

"Even at this time of the morning?" She teased.

"Spending time with you is worth it," He kissed her hair. "Just don't expect me to let you up anytime soon."

The beautiful Russian chuckled. "I do not want you to let me go."

"So what did you want to tell me?" He yawned.

"I have worked out what you can do when we leave here." She replied proudly. "One of the things on the schedule was visiting schools and educating children, you dismissed it because you said that they would know more than you do, but I have been thinking about something else you said, that not everyone takes in facts and figures the way Kwame and I do and you were right. Children need someone to make the stories come alive for them, they need to care about what they are being told so that it will stay with them, and you can do that far better than the rest of us."

There was silence for a few moments before the fire planeteer finally spoke. "We spend an incredible, mind blowing night together, and you wake up thinking about my career?"

"Nyet." She laughed. "I woke up thinking about what an incredible, mind blowing night we just had and how I hoped that every night would be like that from now on, and that led me on to how badly I need you in my life, and **that** made me start thinking about your career and what you might be happy doing in our new home."

"I love you." He smiled, "You really think I'd be good at it?"

"I think you would be wonderful." She reached up to kiss him. "And you know a lot more than you think you do, have a little faith in yourself."

Wheeler laughed. "As long as you have faith in me," She nodded, "That's all that matters. I'll try not to let you down, I promise. What made you think of it anyway?" He continued quickly, before she could argue with him, he just wasn't ready to really believe he could amount to anything outside of a physical role.

Linka blushed and replied shiftily. "Just thinking."

"About what?" He eyed her warily, worrying about what she could be hiding from him at this point.

Her voice was hushed and she didn't meet his eyes. "About… what a good father you would make."

"Oh… yeah." He swallowed, "We weren't exactly careful were we?"

"Oh! I did not mean that!" Linka's eyes flew up to his, open wide with surprise. "We were. I was. That is…" She laughed. "Gi and I have an agreement with Gaia to make things… easier, for us through the year… you understand me da? But as a consequence, **that** will not be a problem until we want it to be."

Wheeler breathed out, "Thank God!" Then he realised that might not sound too good from her perspective and hastened to qualify it. "I mean, I love kids and I'd love us to have them together, someday. But I was hoping for some time when it was just us, you know?"

"Definitely!" She beamed at him, relieved that they were in agreement about something so important. "I did not want you to think that I was planning out our whole future and trying to force you into a role that you might not even want. I was just… thinking, that sometime, a long time in the future, that you would be a good father."

He kissed her nose softly. "I'm okay with you making plans for us Babe, the longer you want to be with me the happier I'll be, even if I'm not ready to walk into that role right now, it's where I want us to be someday."

Linka nodded. "Me too, but let us stop thinking about 'someday' and start concentrating on what we have right now."

She punctuated the last two words with kisses and her lover's grin spread even wider, still surprised by the passion she had been hiding beneath her logical exterior for so long.

They devoted the next couple of hours to learning about each other and their new relationship before finally getting up to face their new life, together.


End file.
